Bow and Arrow
by hoodie622
Summary: Mild Spoilers Series 2 Ratings: Ch. 1-2 T Ch. 3-4 M . Marian was certain that there was no ground beneath her, only space into which she would fall deeper and deeper if not for his hands supporting her and his body calling her name...
1. Prelude

**Title:** Bow and Arrow

**Rating:** Ch. 1, 2, 3 (T) and Ch. 4 is (M)

**Author:** Hoodie622

**Summary:** A series of vignettes of Robin and Marian at various times in their lives, all having something to do with Bows and Arrows. Takes place both as backstory and when Marian is in the forest.

**Author's Notes:** I wrote this story to help myself get over the finale…sadly it did not have that work, but I still enjoyed writing it and I hope you will enjoy reading. I am new to this forum and welcome your comments and suggestions. I am forever indebted to my wonderful beta, primarycolors, and to marjatta and jas for their comments on chapter 4.

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Prelude

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The younger Lord of Locksley sat in a chair in the corner of the hall in Locksley Manor, watching his father pace back and forth across the room. Matilda and Eleanor had been with his mother from just after breakfast, and now twilight was upon them and it was soon to be morning again. Robin had tried to sleep but was kept awake both by his father's pacing and by the sound of his mother's cries ringing in his ears.

Thornton had also been awake all night, trying to calm Sir Robert. He had unsuccessfully tried to get him to eat, and now attempted to get him to sit and relax a bit. "It will be fine, Master," the servant's voice was calm and reassuring. "My Ruth was locked away from one morning until the next when young Matthew joined the family."

Robin, however, was growing more and more concerned. He had been listening astutely for his mother cries, and he'd not heard one for a longer period than made him comfortable. Something was happening.

Suddenly, Eleanor exited the chamber and leaned over the railing. All three men stood and turned their collective gaze upon her. "Thornton, fetch me clean water, now!"

"Eleanor?!" Sir Robert's voice shook with fear. "How is she?"

Eleanor did not answer. She just turned, re-entered the chamber and shut the door.

Sir Robert bounded up the stairs and banged repeatedly on the door. "Eleanor! Matilda! Tell me what is happening! Please! I beg you!"

Robin had never seen his father so helpless. Sir Robert was a strong man who went through life with purpose. He kept strict records of his estates and required work from every family. He was a man of action, moving swiftly to solve problems and resolve any issues that might interfere with the smooth operation of his lands. Yet he was also kind and charming, with a soft spot for children and an even larger one for his lovely wife. Robin admired him so, and often feared that no matter how hard he tried, he would not live up to the reputation is father had earned as the Earl of Huntington.

But now he watched as this man of action was paralyzed by fear. Sir Robert turned his back to the door and slumped to the floor. "She is dying," he said, rubbing his hands over his face in anguish. "She is dying and it is my doing!"

Robin still sat in his chair. Though he was now sixteen and liked to consider himself a man, he sat in the chair with his knees pulled to his chest and his head buried between his arms. He had sat this way for hours, watching the events unfold before him.

Thornton returned with a bucket of water and Sir Robert seized the opportunity to force his way into the room, leaving the door standing open behind him.

"No!" His father's voice rang through the manor as Lord Robert fell to his knees in the doorway as if he'd just been stabbed. "Sarah!"

Robin rose from his chair and slowly ascended the staircase, drawn as a moth to a flame, but afraid of what he would see at the top. The scene that presented itself was one of utter horror. Thornton stood at the foot of the bed, frozen, with the bucket still in his hands. Eleanor's apron was covered in blood, as were the sheets on the bed and piled upon the floor. Blood. So much blood! Matilda was cleaning and wrapping the body of his stillborn sister, she had seen this before, yet she still wept with sadness. His father sat on the edge of the bed, cradling his mother's dead body and sobbing uncontrollably. Her face was pale, her lips purple, her sand blond hair knotted and matted. Had all that blood come from her?! His father let out a guttural cry, "No! Sarah! I love you. I NEED you. You cannot go. Please Sarah, please!" Lord Robert shook his wife's lifeless body. "Oh God," he sobbed, "it is my fault."


	2. Chapter 1 Preparation

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Chapter 1 - Preparation

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"Thank you father!"

Lord Robert of Locksley began to say, "You are welcome," but was certain that his son did not hear him as he dashed off to use his 'adult' bow for the first time.

"Be careful!" His mother yelled after him, though she also knew this was an exercise in futility. "One day, he's going to take an eye out with that bow and _you _will be to blame," she scolded her husband, without looking up from the flowers she was cutting from the garden in front of Locksley Manor.

"He is an excellent shot, Sarah," Lord Locksley defended his son.

Lady Sarah stood and brushed her hands on her dress.

"I'm off to Nottingham to report the month's revenue to Edward," he said as he kissed his wife on the forehead. "Perhaps while I am there we shall discuss future arrangements." It was a statement, but he raised the pitch of his voice at the end as if asking his wife's permission to begin marriage negotiations for their son.

"They are still so young, Robert!" Sarah worried that 15-year-old Robin was not ready for the responsibilities of manhood.

"He is only two years younger than we were when we married," Robert replied. "He is our only child, Sarah, and it is never too early to plan for Locksley's future," he said, as he mounted his horse and set off for Nottingham.

Sarah nodded as she watched him turn his horse and set off across the field. It was true, Robin was their only heir, and she worried that the weight of that fact was too much for his young shoulders to bear. She bent down and gathered two handfuls of flowers from her basket and walked past the pond toward the church.

As she walked, she was stricken by a sadness she'd not felt in a long while. Perhaps it was the idea of her son getting married and moving to one of the outlying lodges. Perhaps it was her concern that he ignored his studies and his duties and was not prepared to run the estate. Perhaps it was regret that she deemed herself responsible for his status as sole heir.

As she rounded the back of the church, the field of crosses came into view. She walked to the third row, to two crosses smaller than the others around them. The first belonged to Robin's brother, lost as he'd entered the world. He, like Robin after him, had almost taken her on to heaven as well. Nonetheless, she would gladly have given her life for his. The second belonged to Robin's younger sister, Hannah, lost before her second birthday. Since Hannah, there had been two miscarriages, one of which almost bled her to death. Lady Locksley tried hard to set aside her regrets, but sometimes, like this occasion, they overcame her.

The loss of the children had caused such pain for her husband. Robert had been as supportive as any husband could be. At the time, he assured her that there would be other possibilities for children, that she had already provided him with an heir, and that what he wanted most in the world was to have her by his side. Nonetheless, his eyes betrayed him and she could see the sadness and blame in them despite his loving words. The deaths had placed a distance between them, so much distance that most attempts to continue the family had ceased. He came to her as sparingly as he could manage, and it was the most difficult part of their marriage.

She placed the flowers on the graves and said softly, "God bless you, my precious ones."

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"Sarah?" Lady Kathryn's eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness of Locksley Manor as she leaned her head inside looking for her friend.

"But Lord Locksley said that she and Robin were here," young Marian whimpered in disappointment at the failure to locate her friend. Then, the young lass spotted Lady Locksley approaching from the church and ran to meet her. "Lady Sarah, Lady Sarah, we were looking for you!"

"Hello, Marian," she said as she knelt in place and hugged the child. "You are growing quite tall and beautiful," she added as she tapped the child on the nose. Before Marian could request young Robin's location, Lady Sarah anticipated her question. "Robin is over the hill practicing with his new bow." And with that, the child was gone. Marian had lifted her skirts to her knees and taken off across the field.

"Be careful with your dress," her mother called after her. "Be a lady!" She turned to Sarah, "She should have been a boy, that one. There is nothing she loves more than playing pranks, getting dirty, and using weapons!"

"Boys are no easier," replied Lady Locksley, "trust me." Lady Sarah's eyes fell from her friend's face to her abdomen, which was growing larger by the day, and she felt the cold pang of jealousy rise from within her. She suppressed the feeling. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I know that to do his work, my husband must be in the castle, and we stay with him most of the time, but I much prefer the coziness of Knighton to that cold dreary place. Sometimes it is like a prison, and my husband would lock me away for fear that the baby might fall out while I'm walking!" The ladies laughed at how little husbands understood sometimes. "Edward has been in meetings with the Lords all day, and I knew that if I walked to Locksley, good company would await me upon arrival." She smiled and added, "Marian wanted to come as well."

"Eleanor!" Lady Locksley called for a servant. "Please fetch Lady Kathryn some cool water from the well."

Eleanor bowed and ran to fetch a bucket.

"Please," said Lady Locksley as she motioned toward the door of the manor, "come in and sit."

"Thank you. We passed your husband on the way in," Kathryn began the conversation. "Is he off to the castle to report the month's revenue?"

"Yes," Lady Sarah replied, "and to speak with your husband about…" She stopped midsentence, but Lady Kathryn looked at her straight in the eyes and nodded her head in recognition, fully aware of the discussions their husbands were having.

"But Marian is still so young," Kathryn said, without looking away, "and Robin…"

Lady Sarah nodded in agreement, "Robin is not ready to be a husband." They paused in the middle of the hall to contemplate their shared understanding.

The silence was broken by the blur of a body dashing between them and up the stairs. Robin went darting into his upstairs room and returned with his old bow.

"Robin! Excuse yourself," scolded his mother. "Do you not like your new bow?"

"It is not for me," he shouted without stopping, and in a moment he was out the door and back over the hill.

The mothers smiled at one another. "Perhaps no arranging will be needed."

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"Ha Ha!" Robin jumped in celebration at his excellent shots. His new bow was more accurate and more powerful than his former one and he had placed five shots in a row within the inner three rings of the target. He took a large step back and landed a sixth arrow among the others. As he was preparing the seventh, he heard a voice calling him and turned to see a mess of hair and skirt darting up over the hill.

"Robin! Robin….waahh!"

The young man burst out laughing as Marian tripped over the front of her skirts and landed face first in the grass. He was still laughing when he realised that she did not get up right away and he walked toward her to offer some assistance. As he approached, she rolled onto her backside and sat in the grass to reveal the front of her lovely new dress, stained with grass and with a gaping tear about six inches from the hem.

Marian let out an exasperated sigh as she examined the damage. "Mother is going to _[ikill[/i _me!"

"Don't worry " teased Robin, "now it will match all of your other dresses."

Marian stared at him and made the meanest face she could manage.

"Marian! Do not look at me that way. I am only telling the truth! I do not think I have ever seen you in a dress that has not been torn and darned."

Marian sat in her puddle of skirts, fighting back tears. She had heard her parents arguing about her outdoor adventures, and her father complaining at the expense of constantly purchasing new fabric for dresses which were instantly ruined. "No daughter of mine will gallop about Nottingham with patches on her dress," he had yelled. Marian had convinced her mother to allow her to wear her nice new dress for their visit to Locksley, promising to be careful. Surely her mother would never let her play outside again after this. She would be forced to sit and practice embroidery. Amongst these thoughts, another occurred to her,_ 'He pays attention to my dresses?'_

She looked up, but the sun was just behind him, causing her to squint and raise her hand to the sky in order to see him. He was merely a tall silhouette against the sky, standing with one hand on his bow and the other outstretched in an offer of assistance. She accepted and upon doing so realized that he was not just tall in silhouette. In the Spring she had been as tall as his nose but now as harvest approached, she was barely as tall as his shoulders.

"Are you alright?" He acted politely though he was still stifling laughter at her predicament.

"I am fine," she replied as she brushed off her front as best she could. "Is that your new bow?"

"It most certainly is," he stated proudly. "Watch." He returned to the spot where he had been standing when she'd interrupted him and fired his seventh arrow, landing it dead center. He immediately smiled and swelled his chest at his accomplishment. He'd been trying for that shot all day. He turned to find her standing right behind him.

"Bet you can't do that again," she dared him, poking him in the chest with her finger.

"Bet you I can," he met her challenge with a cocky grin on his face, "and if I do then _you_ have to fetch the arrows from the target."

"Fine," she agreed, placing her hands on her hips and trying to look bigger as she tilted her neck back to look up at him, "and if you don't make the shot then _you_ have to fetch the arrows and _I_ get to try the bow."

"Step aside," he scoffed as he shooed her from his path and set himself to shoot. Robin raised the arrow to eye level and cocked back his elbow. He was surprised to find that as he raised his weapon, his arms shook involuntarily and he fought to control them. His breathing was slightly erratic. Refocusing, he kept in mind everything his father had taught him. 'Keep your chin up, keep your eye on the target, and remember to take a breath first.'

They both waited with baited breath as the arrow flew through the air and landed just to the right of the bullseye. Robin dropped his head to his chest, embarrassed, as Marian reached from behind him and took the bow. "Kindly fetch me some arrows."

He needed to think of a way to get back at her, and fast. Then it dawned on him as he saw her standing with the weapon that it was entirely too big for her. She would never be able to shoot it. Surely it would be funny to watch her struggle. "Alright," he conceded, much to her surprise, and in a flash, he had retrieved the arrows. "Here you go," he said as he placed them at her feet with a devilish grin on his face. He walked to sit underneath the nearby tree, anxiously awaiting her impending failure.

Marian balanced the bow across her feet and placed the notch of an arrow on the string. When she attempted to turn the bow vertically, it was too long to clear the ground and the end dragged, causing the arrow to fall. She tried again, this time she set the bow vertically first and then placed the arrow at the nock point. She struggled to reach across to the grip, as the space between the grip and the string was slightly longer than her arm. Finally she managed to get her hand in position on the grip, wrapping her small thumb around the arrow to keep it in place. With the weapon in place, she tensed her muscles in her right arm and attempted to pull back the string. It would not budge. She tried again. Nothing. Finally, she pulled with all of her twelve-year-old might and managed to get the string half-way cocked before the string slipped from her fingers, snapping forward and causing her to fall backward to the ground.

Robin's stomach was hurting from stifling his laughter. As he watched her struggle, he could no longer contain himself and began to chuckle as he grinned from ear to ear.

"Stop laughing, Robin!" She stamped her foot. "It is _not_ funny."

"Oh, yes it is," he taunted. "Marian, that bow is as tall as you are!"

"So?"

"It is too big for you."

"That is not fair! You knew I wouldn't be able to shoot it when you agreed to the bet."

"It is not my fault that you made an uninformed wager."

"Cheater!"

"I am no cheat."

"Yes you are."

"No, I am not."

"Prove it!

"Alright, I will. Stay there." And with that he ran back toward Locksley Manor.

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Night was falling when Lord Locksley returned from Nottingham. He found a single candle lit for him on the table. His family had retired for the evening and he would normally have lounged in his chair and fallen asleep, but on this occasion he had good news to share with his wife. The future of Locksley was looking brighter than ever and he was excited to tell her the news.

He quietly ascended the stairs and entered their bedchamber to find his sleeping wife. He sat on the side of the bed and gazed at her, gently caressing her face as he tucked a few strands of her sand-colored hair behind her face.

"Sarah," he whispered, to see if she was awake, "Sarah." Even though he whispered, his excitement was clear in his voice.

"Hmmm," the Lady of the Manor rolled from her side onto her back and opened her eyes to see her husband looking down at her.

"It is settled, Sarah. If Lady Kathryn bears a son, Knighton will remain in Edward's line, but if no son comes, Robin will have the combined lands of Locksley and Knighton, and Marian as his wife." Robert beamed at the excellent arrangement he had made for their son.

Lady Locksley gazed at her husband. She had not seen him express so much joy in a long time. His eyes sparkled like they had when he courted her, when he chased her and convinced her to do things she knew she should not. She smiled, "Robert, let's not tell Robin yet."

"Oh," he said inquisitively, "why not?"

"Because from what Lady Kathryn and I saw today, we may not need to force the match at all."

"Oh!" he said again, but this time with an entirely different inflection as his smile broadened and his chest vicariously swelled with pride. "Going after the pretty ones, eh? That's my boy!"

Lady Sarah placed her hand on her husband's arm and gripped it, as if embracing just that small part of him. "Thank you, Robert," she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For making such fortunate arrangements for our son," she said as she raised her palm to his face. "And for continuing to love me, despite…everything. I know that there was nothing you wanted more than to sit at your table surrounded by your children, and I know that I have not given that to you." Tears were welling in her eyes.

"Shhh," he said, lowering himself to the bed and taking her in his arms. "I do not know what I would do without you. You are my strength. And now…now I have made provision for Locksley's strength, for Robin's future. The Locksley heritage may be a small one, but it is proud."

"Yes," she replied, "it is proud. I am proud…of my husband…and my son." She smiled and began caressing his arm again, but this time in a gentle and suggestive way. Her touch stirred in him desires he fought hard to quench. For so long he had mostly denied himself the pleasure of his wife's body, for fear that he would cause himself to lose her. But as she lay on the bed in her nightclothes, she just looked so lovely.

"Sarah," his voice reflected the mischief in his mind, "what are you doing?"

"Nothing," she replied, in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"That is _not_ nothing," he answered as he began to let himself go. At that moment, there was nothing he wanted more than to share his joy intimately with her and the desires he had fought for such a long time overcame him as he leaned down to kiss her.

"We should celebrate," she suggested, returning his kisses with vigor and passion.

"Yes, we should," he smiled. And they did.

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In life, the onset of grief is often sudden and unexpected, and during these times, solace can also be found in the most unexpected of places – in arms that display tenderness and understanding beyond their years. As Robin of Locksley carefully rode his horse through the moonlit night, he considered that this was not the end he'd expected for this day. As he stared at the stars, he was filled with a sense of warmth and satisfaction that was not befitting to one who had just lost his mother. Yet as he rode, he could still feel those understanding arms around his waist as she had huddled against him to keep out the chill.

After waking in the morning and finding his father still asleep in his chair, having consumed two flasks of wine the evening before, he had spent the entire day greeting the mourners who had traveled to Locksley Manor to pay their respects – an arduous task. Exhausted and unable to deal with both his father's grief and his own he had taken refuge from the misery of Locksley Manor in the company of his bow.

After several failed attempts to evade her nurse that afternoon in the market, Marian had finally escaped and found her closest friend exactly where she'd expected, sitting under the tree over the hill, near his favourite spot for target practice, and just out of view of Locksley Manor. She approached. He said nothing. He made no gesture of welcome or refusal. He simply stared off into the darkening sky with such scorn that Marian knew he was cursing his maker.

She sat opposite him in the grass, being sure to leave a good amount of space between them. She wanted him to know that she was there, but also knew that he did not like to be cornered. Should she speak? For the moment she decided against it, hoping that her mere presence would somehow be comforting to him. She watched him carefully, waiting for him to meet her gaze. After a few moments, he did, and she could see his eyes well as he bit his lip and tried to hold the tide of emotions within him.

'_Why is she here?'_ Robin asked himself, though he immediately realised that he was glad she was. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly so as to not lose his composure in front of her. Then she did something…unexpected. She did not try to comfort him with the words others had spoken all day as they called at Locksley Manor. She did not buck his chin and tell him to be strong like men should. She merely spoke two simple words, "I understand."

Robin tried to hold his emotions inside. He was nearly sixteen now…a man. He should not cry like a child. But his grief could not be contained and it began to shake his torso in its attempts to escape. Finally, he fell sobbing into arms he least expected – arms of a twelve-year-old girl. Arms that though they were young, held him with a kindness and sympathy that only she could provide.

"It does get easier. I promise," she whispered as she rotated herself to lean against the tree so that she might support Robin's heavier frame. He sobbed for a period of time that escaped them both, before settling his head into her lap and falling asleep to the feeling of her hands in his hair and the sound of her peaceful humming. Marian eventually slumbered as well.

Neither awoke until the sun had been down long enough to dissipate the heat of the summer day. Robin was disoriented as he opened his eyes in response to a chill traveling down his spine. It took him a moment to realize where he was and with _whom_ he was. As his eyes came into focus, he found himself staring up at her, sleeping against the tree. Her hair was down, rather than in its normal braids, and it framed her face in a way that made him take notice when he hadn't before. He carefully sat up so that he did not disturb her. He noted to himself that she looked even prettier right-side-up. _'Prettier!' _He scolded himself,_ 'She is twelve!' _ He stood for a moment and walked away, as if distance would erase the thought from his head. How had this happened? Why had he allowed himself to…

He shook his head and rubbed his face with his hands as he remembered the events of the past several hours. He could feel the dried tears on his cheeks. Surely Edward had half the castle guard out looking for her by now! He needed to escort her safely back and explain this…somehow.

He turned to wake her, again noticing how pretty she was as she slept. He thought of carrying her sleeping body over the hill to Locksley, putting her in the guest quarters, and then traveling to Nottingham himself to assure Edward that she was well, but decided against it. He had no idea what condition his father was in. It was just that she looked so peaceful.

He squatted beside her and gently brushed her cheek with the back of his finger. "Marian," he said in a sweet, low voice, "Marian."

The peacefulness of her face was immediately replaced with fear as her eyes shot open and she looked at him as if to say 'My father may very well kill both of us!'

"Come with me to the stables," he offered her a hand. "I will take you home."

The air in the stables seemed thick and close, but it was not the sweet smell of hay or heat of the animals that made it so. When Robin reached for his saddle, he realised that he had been holding her hand since he had offered it to her on the hill. He fumbled with the saddle as he buckled it into place, and the horse, sensing his nervousness, did not accept the bridle willingly.

"You ready then?" he asked, as he turned to look at her for the first time since stripping her of his hand. A beam of moonlight shimmered in her shiny hair, and outlined her tiny frame in a halo of light.

Marian nodded as she shivered from the nighttime air.

"Hold on a moment," he raised a finger toward her before darting out of the stables and returning a few moments later with his cloak. "Here," he said as he placed it around her shoulders and adjusted the buckle to the smallest setting. "Now let's go before your father sends the entire castle guard to look for you."

The guards at the portcullis stared at Robin as he escorted Marian into Nottingham Castle that evening. He could feel their disapproving glares. As he rode into the courtyard and helped her from the back of the horse, he could hear the washerwomen and servants gossiping in hushed tones. Their opinions did not matter to him, though he was self-conscious of their talk. Edward on the other hand, was another matter.

"Where have you been with my Daughter?!" the booming voice could be heard from inside the castle doors before the Sheriff appeared. "And YOU, young lady…your nurse returned without you, saying you had evaded her yet again!"

Robin and Marian stood beside one another at the bottom of the steps, heads bowed as two children being scolded for stealing from the market. Then Robin felt Marian brush her little finger against his, giving him the strength to speak.

"My Lord Sheriff," he thought it best to show as much deference as possible, "your daughter was wonderful this evening."

Poor choice of words. Edward was now directly in front of him, staring at him without blinking. "I mean she was very kind to me in a time of need." Not any better. Edward glared at him to the point that Robin was beginning to fear being thrown in the dungeon overnight. "I mean…Lady Marian was helpful to me."

"Helpful?"

Robin took a deep breath. He was not helping himself at the moment. "Yes…helpful…in only the most honorable of ways," he said as he closed his eyes tightly, turned his head to the side and cringed in preparation for a punch from Edward.

It did not come. Instead the Sheriff turned to his daughter, who was fighting a grin from the fact that Robin had called her 'Lady Marian.'

"Marian, were you acting honorably?"

"Yes Father. Robin was upset because of Lady Sarah and I understand how he feels."

The tension eased and Edward backed away at the memory of his Kate, gone to heaven eight months with their second child. "I see." He was relieved that there seemed to be no impropriety in their interactions. "How is your father, Robin?"

"Honestly, not well sir. He has not eaten nor left the house for two days except for the funeral. Thornton says that _I_ may have to make the rounds this week."

"Perhaps I shall visit him tomorrow," Edward stated with a tone only a fellow widower could express. "As for you, young lady, you are not to evade your nurse any longer. Do you hear me?"

"Yes father," Marian replied, fully intending to contradict his order again in the very near future.

"And Locksley…if she visits again without her escort, I expect that you will send her away."

"I tried sir," he lied, "but your daughter is very persistent." At least the second half of the statement was true. He saw Edward fighting a smile of recognition. "I thought it best that I escort her home this evening so that she would not be alone after dark."

"Well then…I thank you for my daughter's safe return."

"If that is all, sir, I will take my leave."

Edward nodded.

Robin turned. "Lady Marian," he said, acknowledging her with his voice but not with his eyes as he ascended to his saddle. He kicked the animal to a gallop and headed for the gate.

"Robin!" Marian ran after him, removing the cloak as she did, "Thank You."

"No," Robin replied, fidgeting with the garment's buckle in front of him. He could not stop his mind from racing. "Thank you," he said, almost inaudibly, glancing at her for just a moment.

Marian was young, but she had known Robin all her life and his actions betrayed that he was not simply thanking her for returning his cloak. She could not tear her eyes away from the empty street after he galloped through the gates and disappeared into the night.


	3. Chapter 2 Stance

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Chapter 2 - Stance

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It was a tough position, being the widowed father of an only daughter. Edward of Knighton knew it well. For five years he had raised her without his beloved Kate to lead the way. In the years when Marian most needed a mother to show her how to be one, she instead had a father, unsure of how to handle an often-willful child.

Marian was his world, and he knew that a good marriage was key to ensuring her survival. Four years earlier, he had arranged an excellent match with Robin of Locksley that would provide wealth, security, and position befitting the Sheriff's daughter. To the pleasure of both families their children had grown close without coaxing or prodding, and for the past two years, Robin had frequented the castle to call upon his daughter. More importantly, he knew that Marian was quite taken with the young Lord. But as he examined the Locksley ledger, he worried that his confidence in the match had been misplaced.

"Argh," Marian heard her father give an exasperated sigh as he looked up from the ledger he was checking.

"What is it father?"

"Nothing," he said, "it is business."

"I like business," Marian offered, demurely stepping toward him, trying as best she could to charm him.

Edward looked up and smiled at his daughter. "Your mother was right," he said, "you should have been a boy."

Marian approached his desk. "Well, I am not," she said proudly, "but I still like business." She flashed him her best smile. "What is the problem?" she asked, as she glanced down and saw the Locksley seal on the books he was examining.

"Robin's books," Edward replied, "they are wrong again. The tax money has not been accounted properly and springtime planting is behind. He inherited the Locksley estate three months ago and the ledger has yet to be correct."

"He is going through a lot, right now," she defended him without really knowing the reason. She knew Robin needed to grow up. The fact was not simply that Robin was dealing with the death of his father and the sudden burden of the estate. He had never truly paid attention when his father tried to teach him. He snuck off with Much to play pranks when he was supposed to be making rounds with the overseers, or he was writing bad poetry and sneaking into the castle to deliver it to her. But she knew that somewhere, deep inside him, Robin had the power to be an excellent Lord. She had seen it. She had seen him in the village, talking to the people. He respected them, especially the tradesmen – the carpenter, the baker, the smithy – for the contributions they made for the village. His kindness and conversational tone had earned their respect, as well as the respect of the other villagers. He had always demonstrated compassion and mercy for those to whom life had dealt an unfortunate blow, and during the past winter, he continued his father's tradition of ensuring no family in Locksley went hungry or cold.

"I know he is," Edward said, "but it is no excuse, Marian. If he wishes to maintain the respect of the Council he must maintain his estates to his father's high standards. More importantly, if he intends to ma…."

He stopped midsentence, but Marian knew what was coming. She finished the sentence in her head, 'marry my daughter.' She challenged her father to finish his statement, "go on."

"Marian, you are nearly sixteen and I have received many requests from interested Lords. I have always turned them away because of my arrangement with Sir Robert. But your future is at stake and I cannot allow a marriage in which you will be insecure."

"Requests?" she questioned him.

"Offers," he replied.

Marian was astute, and she was certainly not blind to the fact that many men wished to court her, but she acted naively in order to coax information from her father. "Offers of what?" she asked with impatience in her voice.

"Of marriage."

"From whom?!"

"Simon of York."

_Disgusting!_ "Surely you would not see me married to that disgusting pig!"

"John of Scarborough"

_Old!_ "He is twice my age!"

"William of Derby"

_Boring!_ "And curse me to a life of boredom!" The thought of marriage to any of those men was repulsive. She had only met John of Scarborough twice in her life! "I will _not_ marry any of them," she flatly stated.

"Marian, please do not be so stubborn," Edward earnestly begged. "You are my only daughter and I must know that you will be provided for when I am gone. A man must provide for his daughter!"

She huffed. _'And a woman must allow herself to be provided for!'_ "Why does what I want not count?!"

She clenched her teeth as she stood before her father's desk, contemplating her options. It was true that Robin was struggling to efficiently run the Locksley lands. His visits to the castle had all but ceased and she had not seen him since the Council of Nobles meeting a fortnight earlier. She had seen the weight on his shoulders and the burden in his eyes as he walked the halls of the castle, absent his usual air of whim and fancy. He had not even attempted to steal a kiss from her, which she remembered, had disappointed her greatly.

She had met with Much three days earlier, when Robin had sent him to drop the ledgers for her father. "How is Robin?" she asked, and knew immediately from Much's face that all was not well at Locksley Manor.

"He refuses any assistance from Thornton or anyone else," Much had reported with great concern. "He is just so….so…"

"Stubborn?" She was angry at Robin even in his absence. An idea occurred to her. _'I can be stubborn as well.'_ "Give them to me," she practically ordered her father as she put her hands out.

"The accounts?"

"Yes, the accounts!"

Her father looked at her with a warning in his eyes. He knew she was up to something. Her stubbornness reminded him so much of Kate and, like her mother, Marian was most stubborn when she had devised a plan to help someone in need. He admired her for her resolve, intelligence, and willingness to face challenges with passion, and his admiration made her request difficult to resist.

"Well…" she stared at her father. "If I am to be his wife then it is partially my responsibility as well," she reasoned. "Give them to me, I will fix them."

"Robin will _not_ be happy," Edward warned.

"I can handle him," Marian gave a sideways grin as she again put her hands out for the ledgers.

Edward laughed, not sure that he dared to curse any man with a wife as stubborn as his daughter. "All right," Edward said with warning in his voice as he acquiesced to his daughter's request.

"Good," she said confidently. "I will complete the work and then take the books to Locksley. I will return before supper." She turned to walk away with a skip in her step. The ledgers had provided a legitimate excuse for a visit and she felt excitement rise within her at the thought of seeing Robin. She had missed him more than she liked to admit.

"Marian…"

Her father did not need to say more. She knew that he did not like her visiting Locksley alone. She was the Sheriff's daughter and any hint of impropriety would be scandalous in the villages.

"You need not worry, father. Robin may not be exactly what you had in mind, but he is a proper gentleman." She walked back toward him and kissed him on the cheek, "and I am a proper lady." She flashed him her irresistible smile, then turned and went.

Edward was left, staring at the empty doorway where she had disappeared. He prayed that the situation would soon improve and that she and Robin could be married in the fall. He knew it was what she wanted and he did not wish to deny her the same love he had known for her mother.

-------------------------

Marian urged her horse to quicken its stride as she rode across the fields toward Locksley. What would she say? What words could she use that would portray the severity of this situation without his turning her away? Realizing that there were none, she prepared herself to use any means necessary to calm him. He needed to accept that it was okay to need help. More importantly, he needed to know that it was okay for that help to come from her, that she _wanted_ to help…that she wanted to be his wife.

The fact was, she loved him, and she did not want to marry any of the other bores who had called upon her father – men who would force her to sit in embroidery circles and visit with the ladies at court. She had been planning to be Robin's wife several years now and it was what _she_ wanted. In her own mind, she was certain that it was what Robin wanted as well, though he'd not said as much. Robin had always allowed her to be herself, and in this case 'being herself' meant insisting that he accept her help.

As she approached the house, Thornton greeted her. "Lady Marian."

"Thornton," she acknowledged him as she gracefully lowered herself from the saddle and passed the reigns to the stable boy. "Where is Lord Locksley?"

"Practicing archery," a dejected voice came from behind her, as she turned to see Much approaching from over the hill.

"And he does not have you fetching arrows?" Marian smiled and laughed.

"He sent me away," Much said, looking forlorn and kicking the ground as he walked. "He said he wanted to be alone."

"Really?" Marian said with a devilish charm in her voice, setting her promise to her father out of her mind.

"Yes. He is angry. The fields have not been planted in time, and he knows it. I used all my power to calm him, but he threatened me with his bow and ordered me to go away." Much's expressions revealed his hurt and frustration with his master.

"Well, perhaps I will have better luck," Marian said. She started over the hill in Robin's direction, trying not to show her excitement at having an opportunity to be alone with him. She heard footsteps behind her. "What are you doing?"

"Chaperoning," he said confidently.

"No, Much."

"My Lady, it is _not_ proper for you to be alone with Lord Locksley and you know it! You father will be very angry!"

"My father need not know," she stared at him, daring him to break her secret.

"No, M'lady, I cannot allow it."

"Much," she laid a hand on his shoulder, "I know that you are trying to do right by me, and Robin, but he will not speak openly with me when you are present. I need to talk to him…alone." She turned her attention back to the house for a moment. "Thornton, the ledgers from my father are in the horse's bag. Do be sure they are returned to the house."

The servants stared at her as she gracefully made her way up the path and over the hill.

Much leaned toward Thornton and said under his breath, "The sooner this marriage takes place, the better. We need her here"

-------------------------

As Marian climbed up the hill, she could hear the 'thonk' of arrows hitting the target at the edge of the woods. She darted behind the tree in the middle of the field and watched him intently. He was methodical, his motions deft and smooth. For most archers, retrieving an arrow from the quiver and setting it to the string were two separate and distinct actions, but not for Robin. With one fluid motion, his right arm reached back to the quiver and with the same swift motion the arrow was instantly set on the string and the bow raised to eye level. He had become such an excellent archer that he had ceased competing at the harvest festival the previous year, because no one would enter against him.

Why could he not take the same care and concern for running the estate, she wondered.

Then she witnessed the most amazing feat of archery she had ever seen. He took [i_two[/_i arrows from his quiver and placed them both on a horizontally balanced bow. He took a deep breath, staring intently at the target, and released the string, remaining still for a long while after both arrows had hit their mark. Was it possible that she loved him more because he could do that? Surely not! She felt herself flush as she found thoughts in her mind that should not have been there, and she must have gasped because he turned to look at her.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned her. He tried to ask the question nonchalantly but his eyes betrayed that he was happy to see her.

"I brought back the ledgers from my father," she replied. She tried to make her voice sound innocent as she came out from behind the tree and leaned against it.

"And," he said, as he swaggered toward her, sure that she had been impressed with his shot.

"And I gave them to Thornton," she said, and her body began to tense as she felt him closing the gap between them. _'Concentrate'_ she scolded herself, '_you must make him understand.' _

"And," he came still closer.

"Much said you were angry, so I came to see if I can help." She need only give a sign of discomfort and she knew he would back off, but something inside her kept her from giving it.

"Much needs to keep his mouth shut," Robin said[i '_but you definitely help.'[/_i

Robin was agitated that his servant had betrayed his emotions, but his eyes sparkled in a way that Marian liked to believe was reserved only for her. She held her breath as he came as close as he dared without her permission. She was backed against the tree and he was standing in front of her resting both hands and his chin on the top of his longbow. She wanted to be his wife…now…then they could cut through this pretense.

"Robin," she said quietly.

"Yes," he answered, absentmindedly. He would not make eye contact with her. Instead he allowed his eyes to wander around her face, examining her curls as they fell across her shoulders and graced her collarbones, studying her features as if to memorize them. She was old enough now, he thought, that he should approach Sir Edward about a summer wedding.

He could feel his anger dissipating as his eyes took her in. He had been in the presence of many beautiful women, most older than Marian, and many more willing, but as Marian had grown, she had somehow gained the power to drain his brain of thought. He dared not touch her, for he knew that if he did, he might very well lose the composure that concealed the frustrations and anger within him. She was…[i_divine[/_i. Suddenly, he jolted as he had allowed his eyes to wander too low, and he stepped back, temporarily breaking the tension between them.

"Why are you angry?" she asked him.

"It is nothing," he said with a wave of dismissal, "estate business. Nothing with which you need concern yourself." He did not like these questions. He much preferred the way it had been a moment ago, when he forgot his troubles by losing himself in her.

Marian was not about to let him avoid the issue, but she decided to let his dismissal pass for the moment. "How have you been?" she asked. "It has been more than a fortnight since you last visited me."

"I know," he said. "We have been busy with planting and I have not been able to get away. I had to send Much to deliver the ledgers to your father."

She leaned toward him slightly, reigniting the spark that had dissipated a few moments earlier. "I was beginning to think you were losing interest," she said coyly as she peered at him through her eyelashes. She smiled as he looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet. His face was flush with embarrassment and he had a sideways smirk on his face. He was trying so hard to be a man, and yet in some ways he had not yet been able to leave adolescence behind.

"No, I have not lost interest," he said smoothly, and moved so close she could feel his breath on her cheeks as he spoke. "And you are always in my thoughts."

'_Such drivel!_ she thought. If she was going to give anything up today, it would be because he had allowed her to help, because he had opened himself, not because of some line of drivel! Deciding that this moment was as good as any other, she clenched her fists and spoke as he moved in to kiss her. "The ledgers, Robin…they were wrong."

"What!" He growled as he backed away and narrowed his eyes at her, "and how do you know that?!"

"Do not worry," she said, "I fixed them." She smiled her most graceful smile, but it did no good.

"You WHAT?!" _How could she!_ His face was scarlet red and his eyes flamed and she did not think it impossible that the devil had momentarily possessed him. This was not the reaction she was hoping for.

Robin was so angry that he could not even begin to form a sentence. He could feel his insides beginning to boil as he turned to the target and readied his bow once again. He focused all of his anger on the target and placed the arrow dead center. Then, much to Marian's surprise he took a second arrow, aimed carefully and split his first arrow in half with the second! Finally in what seemed like one extended, swift motion, he emptied his entire quiver of arrows, placing them one after another in a neat ring around the first two!

She gazed at him in shock. There was so much anger flying with each arrow that Marian almost took pity on the target.

"Robin," she quietly tried to approach him now that his quiver was empty and he had lowered his weapon.

He raised his hand and turned his head away from her. He was not yet ready to speak to her, nor to listen. What on God's good Earth had given her the notion to examine Locksley's ledgers, let alone put her own hand to them?! He stormed across to the target and began violently pulling out the arrows.

"Ow," he yelped as one of the arrowheads grazed his finger. He sucked on the wound and shook his hand to rid it of the stinging. He could feel her approaching.

"Go away Marian," he growled as he extended his arms and leaned on the target, lowering his head to his chest and refusing to look at her.

"No," she flatly refused.

Robin felt her gently place a hand on his back, which made him momentarily catch his breath. "Marian!" He wiggled in discomfort and she withdrew her hand. He growled under his breath, "you had no right."

"Pardon?"

"You had no right!" he yelled as he turned toward her, his eyes burning with a fury she had never seen in him. She had known when she reworked the ledger that he would be angry, but she had not expected this.

Marian took a deep breath, trying to find the words to reason with him. "That may be true," she said, "but it needed doing and I want to help you."

"I do not _want_ your help!" he lashed out in angry frustration. He did not dare curse at her, though he surely felt like it.

"You may not want it," she countered, stepping toward him and increasing his discomfort, "but you need it."

"I do not _need_ help!" He gritted the statement through his teeth as he left her standing alone and returned to the spot from which he had shot his previous round of arrows. He took three paces back. "Move," he ordered her. But Marian did not move, instead she crossed her arms and leaned back to cover the target.

"Marian, move!" he readied his bow but aimed it at the ground, not daring to aim it at her.

"Not until you talk to me," she answered calmly, but with a stubborn sternness in her voice.

What was she doing?! She was behaving…like a wife! How was it possible that a woman could be so stubborn? More importantly, how was it possible that in that very moment he felt himself giving in to her. He looked up and saw her slowly approaching him. He gripped the bow so tightly that his knuckles began to lose their color and he felt his pulse quicken and his mind begin to spin as she approached, her hips gently rocking as she walked. And then…her touch. He could not resist, and he immediately acquiesced as she peeled his fingers from the bow one by one and removed the weapon from his hands. He felt naked…defenseless…exposed…as if the bow in his hands was his last line of defense from allowing her in.

"I know you think you are strong not asking for help," she counseled, "but it takes more strength to ask, Robin." She was holding both of his hands in hers. She had fixed her eyes upon his and was not looking away. Her gaze made him uncomfortable, but more than her gaze, it was the knowledge that she was right. She saw right through him.

He was reeling from the closeness of her.

The next thing he knew, his eyes were closed and he could feel the softness of her lips on his. Had she started the kiss or had he? It did not matter either way once he felt Marian wind her hands behind his neck, deepening the kiss. He placed his hands around her waist, still trying to keep some distance between their bodies in order that he might keep his sanity, but as he felt her begin to run her fingers through his hair he wrapped his arms around her, pressing their bodies together and allowing his hands to move up and down her back.

Marian was not sure what to do. She had allowed herself to step beyond the boundaries of propriety in order to show him that if he would let her, she would carry some of his burden. But if she let it go much further, she would be pushing the limits of sin. Despite this knowledge, she continued to deepen the kiss. He tasted…_divine_…and her body shivered as she felt his tongue graze hers. She knew she must stop, but she could not make herself do it.

Finally, both needing air and both knowing that they needed to stop before the situation got out of hand, they separated their lips and stood, still embracing, breathing heavily, with their foreheads pressed together.

"Still angry?" she whispered to him.

_Unbelievable._ Robin could not find the words to answer her question, but he could not keep himself from smiling. He needed to not be touching her if he wished to gain back an ounce of his sanity. Reluctantly, he pulled away and walked over and plopped himself down under the tree.

Marian took a moment to compose herself as she too was reeling. She looked at Robin sitting under the tree. His body language had changed. He no longer exuded anger as he had moments ago, but instead displayed the doleful spirit with which he had roamed the halls of the castle weeks before. She quietly approached him, paying careful attention to every movement of her body and every word from her mouth so that he would not shut her out. "Will you be angry if I sit?"

"No," he sighed. He wanted her to sit.

She sat opposite him in the grass with her legs crossed, looking at him intently as he leaned his head back against the tree. "Robin, you need help," she said with tenderness in her voice.

"I do not need help," he repeated his earlier mantra, though the tone of his voice betrayed that he was losing his will to fend her off.

"Yes, you do," Marian replied, "and it should come from me."

"You?" he scoffed.

"Yes, me." She paused to think of the right words. "Robin, if I am to be your wife then Locksley is my concern too."

There was silence. While it was understood by both that they would be married, neither had spoken it out loud before.

"Do you really want to be my wife?" He felt the corners of his mouth tense toward a smile at the notion.

"Yes."

"Even though…" he trailed off.

She urged him on by taking his hand. The sensation of her touch once again stripped him of all defenses. They had been friends for as long as he could remember, and their fathers had arranged their betrothal four years earlier, but how was it possible that she knew _exactly_ how to expose his vulnerable insides? Who was this girl in front of him? When had she become this wonderful…_woman_? How had he missed it…the change? When did it happen? Surely he could not ask for a better wife or mother for his children. "Even though I am rubbish with numbers?"

She could see his mood was changing and could not help but giggle. "Robin. Let me help you. I have always been better at numbers than you."

"But what will people think, Marian? The Lord of Locksley who needs a woman to balance his accounts!"

"No one need know, Robin. Calculate the accounts yourself each month. Just let me check them. I will not write in the ledger again, I promise." She gathered his other hand and implored him, "Please. This will only become a more difficult task once the lands of Locksley and Knighton are joined." She paused to let him consider her request. Then she dared to close the gap between them once again as she reached out with one hand and ran her fingers through the hair above and behind his ear.

Finally, Robin extended his arms, inviting her to lean against him. As he sat, overlooking his village, with his future bride in his arms, he wished for the first time in his life that he was a different man…a more thoughtful man…a better man. He did not feel like a lord, but rather simply a man who was good with a bow. The thought even occurred to him that he loved her, this woman that he found suddenly before him. She fed his desire to be better than he was. But even that love could not completely ease the burden he felt for running the estate. He cursed himself for not paying more attention to his father. He cursed his father for leaving him so abruptly and his mother for not providing siblings to help him. He doubted his abilities to run Locksley properly and he knew that if the ledger had been incorrect, despite Marian's good intentions, Edward must be doubting him as well. In fact, the entire Council was probably talking about him at this point. Somehow, he needed to make choices that would prove him a man worthy of his father's lands and title.

_Before the harvest Robin would make those choices, and although Marian's protests had won him on this day, they would not on that day. He would choose his King over his people. He would choose glory over her. He would choose consequences only God might have foreseen, for in leaving he was choosing to become Robin Hood._


	4. Chapter 3 Tension

--------------------------

Chapter 3 – Tension

--------------------------

Robin raised his bow and took aim as he had a thousand times before. His right hand came to his face as he pulled his elbow straight behind him and found his sight line. He took a breath and exhaled and just at the moment his body became perfectly still, he released the arrow. His target was hit squarely in the chest. She never stood a chance, really.

Will walked to the struggling animal and finished her with his axe. "We will be eating like Lords tonight!"

"Come now," answered Robin, "you do not like Much's rabbit stew?" He handed his bow and quiver to Will as he squatted down to remove the arrow from the animal. "Marian will like it too. She would never admit it, but I know that she misses the comforts she has known all her life."

"You are different, you know," said Will, "with her here."

Robin could not stop himself from grinning. He ran his fingers over the feathers of the arrow and his eyes closed as he pictured her. He could see her before him – her fair skin, her soft lips, her supple breasts, her eyes that reminded him of the ocean off the coast of Crete. He took a deep breath and more images came - the way she bit her bottom lip when she was trying not to laugh, the way she rolled her eyes when she looked at him in anger, the way she held a sword and gallantly fought like no man he'd ever known. The images crashed into his brain and he let them play. The very thought of her made his body tingle.

"Hmm," Will cleared his throat as if he was afraid to disturb what he knew must be pleasant thoughts.

Robin gave his head a slight shake as he opened his eyes. As he stood, he felt his face begin to blush, embarrassed that he had allowed himself the distraction. He lifted the doe onto his shoulders and they began the trek back to camp.

"It's amazing isn't it?" said Will as they began to walk.

"What?" Robin asked.

"What a woman can do to you," Will replied.

Robin laughed. "You mean make you so angry that you want to punch everything in sight or make you feel so amazing that you'd swear you can fly?" he asked.

"I mean when she is in your thoughts all of the time and no matter how hard you try, you cannot banish her."

Robin turned slightly as he walked. "Djaq?" he asked with raised eyebrows and a sideways glance. He understood Will's face, which was as ruby as his family name, to mean yes.

Will gave a sigh of frustration and embarrassment. "How did you know, Robin?"

Robin looked at his friend. They were outlaws together, soldiers for the sick and hungry, protectors of the King's throne. Will had chosen to take up arms against the Sheriff rather than retreat to Scarborough with his family. But in that moment, Robin realized he just how young Will was. "Know what?"

"Know that you were…" He could not finish and looked away sheepishly. He could not force the words 'in love' to come out of his mouth.

"Know that I was in love?" Robin finished the question for him. He carefully considered his answer, knowing it would force him to remember his past mistakes. "I spent five years in the Holy Land, Will, and when I dreamed of home, my strongest memories were of her."

"Yes, but when did you know?" Will asked impatiently. "Did you not know before you left?"

Robin smiled defensively. "Am I on trial here?" Will looked at him, as if he was begging him to answer, and Robin knew that Will was not prying, but rather seeking guidance. Still, Robin was unsure of how much he was willing to share. He shook his head, chagrined and answered, "I should have known…but I didn't. Oh, believe me I wanted her, and our families had made arrangements. But I did not respect her, nor had I earned her respect."

"Yes but when did you _know_?" Will asked in a frustrated voice, unsatisfied with the answer.

Robin paused his step momentarily and looked squarely at his friend, "When I realised she made me want to be a better man." The two men smiled at one another, nodded in the way men do when they come to an understanding, and resumed their mission to bring supper back to the camp.

"So…" Robin began the conversation again, "what is it about her?" He grinned as he suspected Will did not see the sunlight filtering through the trees but a lovely face, waiting for him at camp.

Will sighed the sigh of a young man in love as he gazed up the path to where he knew she was. "What isn't it about her?" It was not really a question, and both laughed at the truth in the statement. "She was already beautiful as a boy, but now…now she gets lovelier by the day. And she's so smart, Robin. She's _so_ smart," he sighed. "Much smarter than me."

"Pfff," Robin laughed. "Not to worry, my friend. Marian used to help me with Latin…and French…and numbers…and she was ten!"

"And you know," Will stopped walking momentarily, "I swear sometimes Djaq can see right through me."

They resumed their steps in silence, lost in thoughts of the women who had such power over their hearts and minds. Neither was very aware of how long the silence was, and there were few sounds that could have broken their pleasant daydreams, but the smiles were suddenly wiped from their faces and they looked at one another with suspicion as they heard the 'thock' of arrows striking wood. Robin carefully lowered the deer to the ground as Will handed over the bow and quiver and removed the hatchet from his belt. They slowly crept on their stomachs over the next rise in the trail.

Robin froze as the source of the sound came into view. On the next hill was Marian, with her longbow, taking target practice. _Oh, my Lord!_ He did not realize his mouth was open until he felt the saliva begin to drip down his chin. His mind spun as he watched her ready her arrow on the string. But the sensation quickly traveled south as she raised her bow to eye level, grazing her breasts with her right hand in the process. Robin closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip, lowering his face to the ground. '_My God, this is like torturing a man!'_ He finally looked to his left to give Will the 'you need to go away now' look, but he saw only his bow and quiver on the ground.

Robin turned, "Will…"

Will already had the doe on his shoulders and had resumed an alternate route to camp so as to not alert Marian to their presence. He spun to flash a playful and slightly jealous smile at his friend, walking backward up the trail in the process. "I'll tell Much not to expect you for supper."

-------------------------

Marian had not yet lived in the forest long enough to have developed an outlaw's ears, and she did not hear her love as he stealthily slipped from tree to tree staying always out of sight. Having found cover behind a large oak, Robin peered around in amusement as he watched her attempt to load _two_ arrows onto the string. He stifled his laughter as she fumbled and one of the arrows tumbled to the ground right in front of her. Undaunted, she tried again, still unsure of how to support both arrows and steady the bow at the same time. He could no longer resist making his presence known.

"If you want to try that trick, you need a better bow."

His voice startled her and caused her to lose concentration and drop both arrows again to the ground. "Robin! How long have you been there?!"

"Long enough."

"Long enough to what?"

"Long enough to know that you should try _this_ bow," he said, handing her his Saracen weapon.

She looked at him strangely. She had never seen him allow anyone to use his bow before. A small part of her felt honored, though surely if he was going to trust anyone with the weapon it would be her. "Thank you," she smiled. She placed an arrow on the string and raised the bow. It was very powerful, and she could see why he liked it so. The tension on the string was smooth and easy, and the release quick and exact.

Robin was enchanted as Marian raised the bow for a second shot. She was always beautiful. He swore even in the mornings when she awoke from sleeping in her cold forest bed she was as lovely as when she had retired the evening before; but there was something about her when she had a weapon in her hand that was especially…alluring. He could not help but notice how the curves in the bow reflected her womanly shape.

"Whoa," she said.

'_I'll say whoa,' _he replied in his own mind as his jaw was gaping open again.

"Robin?" She waited for a response. "Robin!"

"What?"

"You were staring at me!"

Robin's immediate reaction was to be defensive. She had caught him staring at her so many times in their lives and he always had an excuse on hand. This time however it was not a secret meeting in the village or a clandestine exchange in the wood. There would be no separation now. She had made the decision to be with him rather than somewhere else and that thought made him swell with pride. He gave a genuine though creative answer. "My two favourite things are in one place. How could I not stare?"

'_Oh, dear God!'_ How was it possible for words to melt her? She gave him a disapproving sideways glance and attempted to focus her attentions on her archery practice. She took two arrows and tried to align them on the string. As she struggled to support both arrows with her fingers she could hear Robin sniggering. She let out a huff of frustration, "Am I really that entertaining?"

"Yes!" he laughed with a cheeky grin on his face that said 'you are beautiful when you are angry.' "Here," he offered as he stood behind her and helped her with bow placement. "Turn the bow to the side."

She inhaled sharply as she felt his chest press against her back. She felt his arms as they supported hers. Why did she resist him so? Despite her father's death and the awful arguments they had had upon her arrival, she was finding that she enjoyed the freedom of the forest and was genuinely feeling her love for him strengthen each day as she came to know him better. Now she understood everything he'd given up by retreating to Sherwood, the comforts he'd sacrificed, the burden he'd accepted. She so admired his strength and resolve. But at the moment, it was his physical strength that garnered her attention as she felt their bodies entwined and he placed her fingers in the proper position to support both arrows on the string.

"Now," he said, "you're going to put one arrow in that tree, and another in the one beside it. Do you have them both in your sight line?"

She did not answer. The sound of his soft voice as it traveled on his breath through her hair and into her ear was absolutely tantalizing.

"Marian?"

She swallowed as she tried to find her voice

Robin took his free right hand and tickled her side.

"Huh….sorry," Marian murmured as she took a deep breath and attempted to refocus her attention.

"Now who's distracted?" Robin asked, certain…well hoping…that her thoughts had wandered as his had earlier. They realigned their bodies and prepared to fire. "Alright…now….pull back the string supporting both arrows…good…deep breath….and…"

Release. Both arrows hit their targets squarely in the center of the trunk. Marian could not help the grin that came across her face. She spun around and found herself cradled in Robin's arms, inches from his face. _'Oh, this feeling!'_ Why should she deny herself any longer? He loved her. He'd finally said it, and repeated it. She knew he meant it. He'd been so considerate since they had called their truce, not pushing her or condemning her but rather carefully considering her opinions and perspective, and she was working hard to think within the group rather than independently. She could feel them becoming true partners and yet she still had not allowed herself to be his partner in this way. They were so close now, breathing the same air, staring in each other's eyes, both waiting for a signal from the other as to how to proceed. She dropped the bow to the forest floor.

That was the only signal he needed. Robin closed his arms around her and pulled her into a deep and luscious kiss. He ran his hands up and down her back and she allowed him to explore the curves that he adored so greatly. He felt his sanity disappearing. She was here. She was finally here and he had wanted her for so long, but had not wanted to push her since her arrival in the forest. His mind was spinning and it took every ounce of his strength not to devour her. This was moving _entirely_ too quickly. He pulled back and allowed them both to breathe. He removed his hands from her back and instead grasped her head in his hands, her hair falling gently between his fingers, and he began kissing her face – her forehead, her cheek, her nose – before returning to gently graze her lips.

'_What is he doing?!'_ she thought. _'He is driving me mad!'_ She felt pangs of physical need arise from deep within her. She had felt them before but always denied them. By reflex she pulled away slightly but he followed, kissing her deeply once again. Their kissing became a dance across the forest floor. The tempo would fall and rise as she pulled away to breathe and he followed. Finally she could no longer pull away when she found her back pressed against the giant oak behind which he had been hiding.

Robin paused and rested his forehead against hers, realising that she had backed herself against the tree and not wanting to move any further without her permission. Her eyes sparkled with passion. They again stared at one another as they had at the beginning, breathing the same air._ 'This needs to stop now,'_ Robin felt his rational mind interfering. But the thought quickly subsided when Marian placed her hands in the curls at the back of his neck and pulled him closer. He felt her gasp as he pressed his body against hers.

Marian could not believe the sensations that overcame her. _'His hands must be magic,'_ she thought as he gently caressed her thighs…her waist…her breasts. He ran his hands down her arms, grasping them at the wrists and raising them above her head. She bit her lower lip as he held her wrists with one hand and gently caressed her neck with soft kisses. With the other hand he reached around her back and began to untie the string on her corset. At that moment, she felt every muscle in her body tense and she was immediately angry with herself. She did not want to stop but somehow her inhibitions had reappeared from deep within her.

Robin felt her tense and immediately backed away with a look of horror upon his face. "I'm sorry," he said with giant eyes.

_Oh, what have I done?!'_ she thought. _'Denying myself, denying him!'_ "You have nothing to be sorry for," she assured him between her still heavy breaths.

"I was not being honorable." _'But I have never wanted anything so badly!'_

"Neither was I!" Marian giggled. She could not believe herself. She was giggling and as embarrassed as she'd been when they were children! She moved to approach him but stopped when he raised his hands and backed further away.

"No! You need to stay over there," her ordered her as he once again moved to increase the space between them and regain some of his sanity. Did she not know badly he wanted her! No. How could she know? He should never have allowed it to move so far.

Marian found herself glad that her honor was still intact but wondered why she still cared that it was. She loved him. She always had, despite her anger with him for leaving. The situation now was so difficult and she knew Robin would not marry her until his lands and title were restored. Surely she could not wait that long.

Having regained control of his mind and body, Robin bent to the ground to retrieve the bows and quiver. "As I recall, a bow and arrow was involved the last time we…" _'came so close,'_ he finished the sentence in his head.

"You remember?"

He laughed and looked her adoringly. How could she possibly think he would forget that day? It was the day he had fallen in love with her. "In seven years I have not forgotten," he said as he rested his palm on her cheek with a wink and a smile.

"I love you, Robin of Locksley."

"Come, my Love," he urged her forward and threw his arm around her shoulder, "We have venison for supper."


	5. Chapter 4 Release

**Thank you to all of you who have been reading my story. I appreciate all of your comments, reviews, and suggestions. **

**Zaedah – **Your reviews are full of the details you liked and I appreciate knowing what worked well. I'd be happy to take constructive critiques as well. Thanks for your insight.

**Maths Kid – **I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. Here is that fourth chapter you asked for.

**Favourite Worst Nightmare – **I am so glad that you really like it.

**Gatewatcher(Lana) – **I really like the part after his mother dies as well. I really tried to write it as a young version of what they eventually become. I'm glad that came across to you. And yes, our Robs IS a good man. He is heroic, and honorable, and also flawed. How could he not be? He is the hero of the story after all (even though the RH writers do, IMHO, forget this tiny fact too frequently!)

**Whatsthefracas – **I'm glad that you like the bow and arrow theme. I really enjoyed trying to tie it all together through the analogy with the imagery of the bow and the chapter titles.

**MusicisLife** – Thanks for reading….glad you think it's awesome.

For those of you who have been reading anonymously…thank you so much. This is the last chapter, so if you get a chance, drop me a line to let me know what worked and what did not. I am always trying to improve and am happy to take any and all comments.

Enjoy!

/Hoodie622

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Chapter 4 – Release

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It was the time of year in the forest when no blankets were required to sleep and the night air was so sticky and hot that even clothing was a burden. Every muscle in Marian's body was filled with tension as she lay awake in camp. It had been this way for three days and nights. Her mind raced with thoughts of him as she stared at the stars and attempted to make patterns from them. She'd had difficult nights in the before, especially after they'd had a meeting during the day or she had watched him barely escape the castle…again. But unlike when she was isolated within those cold stone walls, these anxieties did not stem from distance and separation. Rather, it was the anxiety caused by being _so close_.

She had not felt this way in years, not since just before he left for the Crusades had she lay in bed, pining to be in his presence. She felt herself flush as she remembered…

"_Thornton," Marian acknowledged the servant as she entered Locksley Manor. "Do you have the month's ledgers for my father?"_

"_Yes, my Lady. Lord Locksley finished them this morning. Would you like me to fetch them?"_

"_No, Thornton, that will not be necessary. Where are they?" _

_The servant motioned upstairs. _

"_Very well," she said, and she gracefully climbed the staircase as if she were the Lady of the Manor already. _

_The ledgers were on a small table beneath the window of Robin's room. Beside them were loose scraps of paper with figures scratched everywhere in Robin's messy hand. The papers were copies of the ledger. She laughed audibly and smiled. He had run the figures FOUR TIMES! Most importantly, there were corrections between the first and second drafts and the arithmetic on the final copy was correct._

_She gathered the ledger and spun to leave the room. She'd not been in this room before. The fabric was beautiful, luscious, red velvet and the bed was gigantic! She darted to the door to check that no servants were coming up the stairs, then she took a few running steps, jumped, and landed her backside deep in the tufting of the feather mattress. She stared up at the canopy, unable to contain the smile on her face. 'Lady Locksley,' she whispered to herself, savoring the way her tongue rolled from the back of her teeth when she said the alliterative phrase. She was trying her best to keep her giggling silent. 'I am going to be Lady Locksley,' she repeated, giving her legs a few kicks of excitement. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she did not hear Robin enter the Manor. The moment Thornton mentioned her name and location he leaped up the stairs three at a time and bounded through the doorway, "Marian?"_

_She sat straight up, with the look of a child caught eating sweets before dinner. Robin's smile immediately turned from joy at seeing her to hunger, realizing the position she was in. _

"_Comfortable?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning his shoulder against the bedpost. _

"_Don't be getting any ideas, Robin of Locksley. I am not your Lady yet." She stood and walked past him, bumping his shoulder with hers. As she did so, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward him so that their faces were inches apart._

"_Well, are they correct?" he asked confidently, his eyes flicking downward at the books in her hand, knowing that they were. _

_She could not help but smile at him. She gave the slightest nod as she stared into his eyes that were full of mischief._

"_Surely I deserve a reward for that." _

_She leaned in and gave him the sweetest, most adoring kiss she could muster, lingering as long as she dared. _

"_Well," he breathed, releasing her arm and breaking the tension. "Shall I see you back to Nottingham then…Almost Lady Locksley?"_

_Marian was not certain if her feet were touching the floor. "Yes, my Lord." _

That had been a restless night and she scolded herself now as she had then. _'Marian, you are being absurd. He is right there…and you will see him in the morning.'_

But seeing him was the problem. They had been dancing about one another for three days, both always careful not to come within a yard of the other for fear that they would be unable to control their actions if they did so. They did not sit near one another at meals, they did not take watch together in the evenings, and they did not dare travel alone with one another in the forest. It was all so…frustrating.

Marian had never experienced a fear she could not face. She was bold and brave. She had always been bold. Robin had known that even before he'd left. But the bravery had only come after…after she found herself alone. After she had witnessed the corrupting struggle for power that had removed her father from his position and the effects of that corruption on the people of Nottinghamshire. She had become a fighter, but a secret fighter, working from within the system. She believed in the cause and was willing to give her life for it. In a way, though, she was jealous of Robin. He got recognition and glory and she got…well…nothing. No one outside this small circle of people knew of her deeds, and she was not content to simply be the Lady of the Hero.

But without her realising, her desire to be a fighter had, in many ways prevented her from allowing anyone to truly know her. She hid the Nightwachman from everyone, including her father for a time. She had played a dangerous game in the castle, subtly turning Gisborne's possessive advances in her favour, hiding her true self from him and everyone in the castle at all times. She had spent so much time in the past five years struggling to make a difference in a world dominated by men that she had never allowed herself to be seen by anyone as the woman she was.

Alas, Marian was not just a fighter, she was also a woman, and Robin was the only man who had ever seen her for the woman she truly was. But, for nearly two years, their interactions had been limited to those times when it was necessary to pass information in one direction or the other – a dark meeting in a back alley of Nottingham, a covert ride to the wood, a hasty visit to the castle. On so many of those occasions he had repeated his request, 'Come with me to the forest.'

He had no idea how badly she had wanted to say yes. She had a duty to stay with her father but, in truth, she had longed for the forest, and not just because Robin was there. The forest was freedom. In the forest she was accepted for who she was, a fighter…a champion of the poor. Robin loved and accepted her for who she was…he always had.

Now that she had settled into the forest it was like that summer again. There was teasing, and joking, and good meals, and laughter, and target practice, and close companionship as there had always been; but, there was also respect and a genuine feeling that they belonged together not because their families had deemed it so, but because they had chosen for it to be so. And three days ago all of this had almost erupted into something…something she did not want to admit she had thoroughly enjoyed. And _that_ really was the problem. She had spent so long making sure that she was invulnerable that she feared the vulnerability of choosing to love him. She had allowed the passion to overcome her just until the point at which she was no longer in control…just until the point at which she began to feel vulnerable…and then she could go no further.

Twilight was upon her and she felt herself flush as her heart beat faster. She could feel the muscles in her legs tense as she squeezed them together, as if to protect places her position and station said he should not go, but which she wanted with every fibre of her being. She needed to solve this problem and it frightened her that there was really only one way to do that. Allowing herself to experience the genuine freedom of being with him might take the most bravery of all.

As dawn was approaching, she finally felt contented enough to drift to sleep.

-------------------------

It was not uncommon for the outlaws to awake and find Robin had gone from camp. Dawn was an excellent time for hunting and the best meat could often be found as the fog was lifting from the forest. It was Robin's favourite time in Sherwood. In the Holy Land, morning merely meant that you had lived to see another day. There was nothing refreshing about it. The wind blew all night long and if you forgot to wipe your eyes before opening them in the morning they stung from the sand that had collected on your eyelashes while you slept. But in Sherwood dew glistened in the light of the dawn and the birdsong was almost deafening. It was a time of solace, a time for reflection, a time for planning the actions of the day ahead. For Robin Hood, it was time alone – time when he did not have to be a hero or a leader, a friend or a lover. At dawn it was only he, his bow, and whatever unfortunate animal happened to cross his path.

On this particular morning, however, he could be found walking on the trail to Locksley with his bow, quiver, and a bouquet of flowers in his hand, mumbling to himself and looking rather pensive.

'_I care for my bow because it makes me strong.'_ Not right.

'_My bow protects me.'_ Not right either.

'_My bow feels right when I hold it.'_ He let out a groan of frustration. How was he going to express to her what he was feeling? Feelings were not his strong point…well…expression of feelings, anyway. Robin was an intensely private man, a leader who hid his anxieties and fears behind his swagger and cocky grin. Only those closest to him knew how deeply he buried emotion, and only they had seen it rise to the surface on a few occasions, almost all of them having to do with _her_.

He needed the right words to express the deep and abiding love that captured his heart, the fear that overcame him when he thought of losing her, the passion she aroused in him. He loved her with everything he had to give. It needed to be just right.

The morning sun found a crack in the thick forest canopy and shone a ray on Marian's face, awakening her too soon from her shortened slumber. Much was at the fire, wiping his brow from the excessive heat. She looked around the camp and saw the entire gang eating breakfast, having moved as far away from the hot cooking fire as possible.

There was a conspicuous absence. "Where is Robin?"

She felt self-conscious as the gang simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"What?"

"You two can't be apart for more than three minutes," Much scolded. She could hear the others chuckling. Obviously they had not noticed what had been happening, or not happening, for the past three days.

She felt herself flush with embarrassment as she had when she was a girl and she defensively walked to Much and grabbed the bowl of oats from his hand, almost spilling it in the process. She found her own corner of camp and sat so she could not see their grins and the knowing looks they passed back and forth.

As everyone was finishing, Much finally asked, "Where _is_ Robin this morning? Surely hunting has not taken this long, and he hasn't eaten yet." He looked around at the gang, who shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads. "Well, he'll have cold, overcooked oats when he returns," Much plopped the spoon into the pot, feeling his labors for naught as far as his master was concerned.

Marian stopped her spoon halfway to her mouth and spoke, "Much, what is the date?"

Much's eyes grew large and he threw his arms in the air. How could he have forgotten?

Marian immediately stood and gathered her cape and longbow.

"My Lady, you should not go alone."

"I'll be fine, Much," she said as she walked out of camp without looking back. "I will not be alone for long."

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Robin sat on the edge of the wood near the rear of the church in Locksley Village. His visions of that terrible night had haunted him for years until the horrors of war had replaced them. Still, the memories remained powerful enough that when he did call upon them, they never failed to choke him a bit.

A mother lost…

The aching heart of his grieving father…

The emptiness of a son's world when suddenly the most important person in that world was no longer present…

…and the kindness of a girl who, though she was a child, approached him with the love and understanding of a woman who had been through the same torment.

_I'm going to ask her, mother. I'm going to ask her to be my wife as she should have been long ago. _He sighed and smiled as he spoke to his spiritual companion. _You would not recognize her if you saw her. She is amazing…a woman now, strong and brave, and with the kindest heart imaginable. And I think that perhaps, I have finally earned her respect. I do not know what I would do without her. She makes me…_

He paused. There were so many ways to finish the sentence. _She makes me cry for joy. She makes me sick with worry. She makes me so angry that my face turns red as an apple and I am rendered speechless. She makes me feel I could fly at the sight of her beauty. _He shuffled his feet and shifted his seating position, embarrassed as if his mother were sitting beside him_. She makes me into a lustful teenager again. _But he did not choose any of these. "She makes me want to be a better man," he said out loud.

Robin was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a carriage entering the village. It disappeared in front of Locksley Manor, blocking his view of its occupants. A young Giddeons lass caught Robin's attention as she wandered past, unaware of his presence. "Psst, Jenny," he whispered, motioning her to come toward him.

"Master Robin!" She bowed.

He quickly motioned for her to speak softly. "Stop that! You've no reason to bow to me. Please take these and place them on the third grave from the right." He added, "And take _this_ to your mother," and held out a silver coin for the child. Jenny's eyes sparkled as she accepted the flowers and coin and skipped to the churchyard, glancing back to be sure that she was placing the flowers at the base of the correct cross. As Robin nodded to her in recognition, another carriage pulled in front of the Manor, bearing the seal of Timothy of Derby. _What is happening?_ As he was about to stand to investigate, he heard his name.

"Robin?"

The sound of his name coming from her lips was a more beautiful song than that of any bird in Sherwood. He turned to see her creeping from the edge of the wood to join him.

"How is Lady Sarah today?" she asked as she sat beside him, wrapping her hands around his right arm and placing her head on his shoulder.

Robin was a bit dazed that she remembered the date and had known where to find him. He smiled and sighed in blissful satisfaction. After three days of avoiding her he was beginning to feel off balance. It was comforting to feel her touch again. "Lady Sarah is fine, thank you," he smiled, leaning over and kissing her on the head. "Something is happening in the village though."

"Yes. It is…" She paused because she knew her next words would ruin the peacefulness of the moment.

"It is…" Robin urged her on.

"It is Sir Guy's birthday today." As she suspected, his entire body cringed when he heard the name. "I was supposed to attend the party but…"

"But what?" he snapped.

She needed a response that would placate his irrational jealousy. She ran her fingers down his arm from the shoulder to the wrist and replied, "but it seems I am otherwise occupied in the forest." And with that she grabbed his hand, and pulled him back to the relative safety of Sherwood's shadows.

"I cannot believe you remembered," he stated with genuine thanks in his voice.

"Of course I remembered. How could I forget?" she replied, not wanting him to doubt how well she knew him. "That evening…"

"That evening I thought your father was going to _kill_ me."

"Going to kill us both, you mean." Marian found herself giddy as she'd been that night. "I just remember standing in the stables and being so uncomfortable."

"You were uncomfortable! I could not even put the damned saddle on the horse!"

"Robin of Locksley! That is an outlaw's mouth!"

He could not resist. Surely he could control himself for just one kiss! He stopped walking and pulled her into an embrace. "No, that is a soldier's mouth, and I am sorry." As he felt himself close to her, the thought occurred to him that he'd missed her more in these three days than the entire time she was in the castle.

" 'Tis alright. I like it when you let your guard down."

He took a deep breath and stared right at her, hoping she would sense the depth behind his words. "Marian, I let down my guard with you long ago." He shrugged, "It did me no good. You saw right through me."

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to bask in the light of his words, aching to feel his lips upon her face. Instead, she felt the gentleness of his thumbs against her skin.

He continued sweetly, "But you have not let yours down yet, have you?"

Marian dropped her chin toward the ground and leaned into his chest. Perhaps he saw through her as well.

"It's alright," he said as he pulled her tightly to him and wrapped his arms around her. "It's understandable. You've been through so much lately." He put a finger under her chin and raised her head so he could look her in her eyes. His smile was one of true understanding, "And I do have a history of abandonment."

She did not think she had ever loved him more than at that moment. "Are you going to kiss me with that mouth, or are we just going to stand here?"

"No. I thought we'd just stand here."

She grabbed his tunic and pulled him in, determined that this time, she would allow herself the joy of whatever came…

She did _not_ expect it to be Allan-a-Dale.

"Look, you've got the most distinctive tracks in the forest, you might as well give up now!"

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In twenty-two years, Robin of Locksley had rarely failed to surprise Marian. Some surprises had been sweet, like the time he sneaked into the castle at twilight and whisked her away for a sunrise horseback ride in Sherwood, placing her gently in her room before the castle awoke. Others had been genuine, like his allowing himself to find solace in her arms after his mother's death. One particular surprise had been devastating…

She remembered her shock the day she readied her bow to defend the door of Knighton Hall and found Robin, dressed in his crusader's garb and looking very much more a man than when he'd left, but still smiling his cheeky grin and assuring her that she was in his thoughts. The following day she'd been reminded of the depth of his love for his people as she watched him become Robin Hood by using a bow to defy the Sheriff, knowing full well the consequences. She had saved him that day, with her hairpin dagger, knowing that there might be consequences to that as well. In the brief moment their eyes had met, she was certain she had betrayed herself. _'I still love you, you fool, and if you did not die in the Holy Land I'm certainly not going to watch you die here!'_

None of these moments were as surprising as the words that had exited his mouth that morning, over a fresh grave in Sherwood. She had not been expecting such words from him, at least not yet. Her breath died in her throat at the mention of her father, and she'd had to swallow hard to find her voice. As she recalled the events in her mind, she realised how exposed he'd left himself, with one knee on the forest floor in front of her. There had been genuine anxiety in his eyes as he listened to her words intently, attempting to discern her answer. Had he honestly believed that she would say no?

And now she was standing beneath the swaying oaks, unaware of anything but him, staring into his glistening eyes and wondering…did he know? Did he know that he was the only person with whom she had ever felt free enough to be herself? Did he know that she had always loved him, though she had for so long denied it to herself and to him? Did he know that when she was with him her pulse quickened, her mind raced and she felt indescribable desires rising from within her? Could he tell she was no longer afraid?

Robin of Locksley was no doubt a hero, in Acre and in Nottingham, and stories of his compassion and bravery were spreading throughout England. But no shot he had ever fired, no decision he'd ever made, no battle he'd ever led had demanded him to summon his courage the way he had that morning. Robin was reeling and his mind was a blur. Euphoria didn't describe it. He'd been practicing that speech for days but despite the planning, his heart had been in his throat the entire time. He could not remember if he had produced the words in exactly the way he'd planned. As he pulled back from their kiss and began to settle his mind, he set his gaze upon her deep blue eyes. Did she know? Did she know that she had the power to steal his thoughts? Did she know that he genuinely had not slept a peaceful night during the entire time she had been in the castle? Did she understand that every time the horrors of war became too much, or the burden of being Robin Hood became too overwhelming it was her face that kept him from madness? Did she understand his torment as his conscience fought between his respect for her and the passions within him? He examined her eyes for answers, but Marian possessed great skill in hiding her emotions and motivations, and they rarely showed on her face. Now, however, there was a sparkle in her eye that he remembered from youth, when they'd run free and wild in the fields of Nottinghamshire. Her entire face was glowing and though he did not think it possible, it seemed that she had become even more beautiful while his eyes had been closed.

They stood in silence for a long while, savoring their closeness, cherishing the promise they'd made, both unable to speak and both feeling as if they had left the forest floor. They leaned in for another kiss and allowed their faces to remain touching as they lost control of the corners of their mouths and puckers turned to smiles. This was the cycle – kiss, smile, breath, sigh – repeating and repeating until they lost track of how long they had been standing there. With each cycle the distance between their bodies grew smaller until the air between them was filled with unsatisfied desire. They were back where they'd been three days before, standing so close, breathing the same air, each waiting for a signal from the other.

Robin was running his fingers over the laces that lined her spine, though he did not dare tug on them for fear of startling her again. He refused to allow himself the indulgence of three days earlier despite the fact that he'd never enjoyed any moments in his life as much as those. He had never seen her flinch for fear and yet she had tensed at his touch, the very touch that was meant to be an expression of everything she meant to him. She had assured him that no apology was necessary, yet he still cursed himself for treating her in a way that made her uncomfortable. Nonetheless, he found he was unable to separate his body from hers. His mind gave the order, but his body was a willful soldier that simply refused follow.

Despite the summer heat, he shivered as Marian released her hands from behind his neck and began exploring his body. She began at his temple and gently brushed his bangs from his eyes, following the line of his hair behind his ear before running her fingertips down his neck to his chest, placing her palm on his breastbone and giving it one gentle pat as if staking her claim to his heart. With a sultry slowness, she placed the long, slender index finger of her opposite hand in the middle of his forehead and with a tantalizingly light touch, brushed it down the middle of his face. His eyes closed as he felt her fingertip travel between his eyes, down the crest of his nose, and rest upon his lips. By instinct he kissed the finger. Her fingertips were a drug, leaving a trail of intoxication each place they had been. It took every bit of concentration he could muster not to allow his arousal to overtake his mind.

Marian lowered her hand to join the other at his chest. She twirled the strings at the neck of his tunic cursing them for being attached to the garments that separated her from what she wanted. She studied his face. When his eyes were open, she could almost always read his thoughts, but now his eyes were closed and he was biting his lower lip. What was he thinking? Why was he not reacting? In frustration, she gripped the fabric of his garments in her fists, using it to support her as she rose onto her toes.

He nearly lost his sanity as he felt her jaw moving against his cheek. "Robin," she whispered, puckering her lips a bit to graze his earlobe, "open your eyes." Dare he? He knew that if she were to tilt her head back and meet his gaze he would lose control. He acquiesced to her request, but stared out across the top of her head into the forest.

"Marian," he spoke her name as a warning as she slid her hands under his shirts and placed them on the bare skin at his waist, "what are you doing?" He could feel his body begging his mind to give in and meet her gaze.

"Nothing," she said with all the innocence she could muster and slid her hands around to the middle of his back, tucking her fingertips under his waistband. She was delighted to find that there were goosebumps all over his skin.

"That is _not_ nothing." With his last bit of sanity, he removed her hands from the places they should not be and began walking the twenty paces toward his bow and quiver lying amongst the leaves on the forest floor, attempting to ignore the voice he heard calling after him.

"You're right," she yelled. "It is _something_. It has _been_ something for three days. In fact, as I recall it has always been something, even before you left." Her voice grew louder and louder in compensation for his distance.

He began carefully firing arrows and stripping the bark off the edge of a defenseless tree.

"We need to solve this problem." Her voice came from right behind him.

Did she not understand why he had to walk away…why he was shooting the bark from the trees? If he did not have that bow in his hands he would go crazy with wanting her…and he could not have her, so he needed something to make him sane! "There is only one way to solve this problem Marian." He spoke without delaying his shots.

"You're right, there is only one way."

_Had she just said he was right? Twice? Surely she was not suggesting that they actually attempt to solve it? _

Her voice possessed a calm serenity as she added "and shredding the bark from a tree with arrows is not it." She was not sorry that she'd finally said the words, though she immediately feared his judgment of her, having made so clear an invitation.

Robin found himself unable to reply. How could she be so calm when he was reeling? Firstly, his brain had still not quite grasped that she had accepted his offer of marriage; secondly, the idea that she was actually _asking_ to be with him was incomprehensible, though he was certain he had dreamed it enough times to prevent his entry to heaven; and lastly…well lastly, she was wickedly attractive at the moment.

Marian was captivated as his face transitioned from a look of shock and disbelief, to one of pride at knowing that she wanted him, to craving in knowing that he could have what he wanted. She thought he was about to comply when he suddenly turned back to the tree he had been defacing and fired two more shots. "We cannot."

Why did he always insist on hiding behind a damned bow! She could not step in front of him and look him in the eye when it was raised, so instead, she inched her way as far to the side as she deemed safe and yelled in his ear. "Why, Robin? Why are we so afraid of our supposed impropriety?"

He continued to fire.

"Fine," she said. "You _will_ run out of arrows, Robin of Locksley, and when you do I will still be standing here asking the same question."

He did not doubt it.

"Robin! You have not come near me for three days. You just asked me to be your wife and now you are refusing me? Why?"

Robin flung his bow and turned, grabbing her by the upper arms and squeezing them to her sides, holding her as firmly as he dared and looking her up and down with unquenchable thirst.

Marian's breath was caught in her lungs. His eyes were flaming with intensity. His gaze was unflinching, but she was determined that hers could be as well.

"Because I cannot treat you that way, Marian."

"What way?! Like a wench in some tavern on the way to the Holy Land!"

"Marian!"

"Robin, I'm not stupid! I remember your father forcing you to muck out the stables on more than one occasion! Do you think I did not know what that punishment was for?!"

Marian stumbled a bit as he released her and let out a growl of frustration. They turned their backs, both immediately sorry, both wishing they could breathe the words back into their throats, but both too proud to be the first to apologize.

The distance between them was now great, but it seemed as if the air in the entire forest had turned thick and stifling. After a few moments of calm, she approached him as he gathered his arrows from the forest floor. "I am sorry, Robin. It's just that I know…I mean…I can _feel_ that you want…"

"You have no idea."

"Oh really?! And why is that?" She took a few steps toward him, forcing him to step back against a tree. "Because it is not proper for a noblewoman to want? Is that it?" She placed her hands on his chest, once again grabbing his tunic in her fists to raise her body so that her lips grazed his face when she spoke. "Because I am allowed to love you but not allowed to participate in any activities which express that love?"

That was it. She had come to the end. She knew of nothing else she could do or say. She was suddenly overcome with shyness. She had navigated her way to unfamiliar waters and had no idea how to find the shore again.

Robin was taken aback by her frankness, though he should have expected as much coming from Marian. _How did she do it?!_ How did she always manage to see right through him when he was hiding something? She was…_divine. _He wanted nothing more than to rip her clothing off and show her what she meant to him right there. But her body language had changed. She had released the palms that had been forcing him against the tree and she was simply standing on her toes, staring at him, twisting the strings of his tunic around her fingers and waiting. After a few moments of confusion, it became clear to him…she was giving up control. He slid his arms around her and felt her fall into him, allowing him to support her weight. _Incredible_. He had rarely seen her like this, completely vulnerable and unguarded. Suddenly he became very nervous as he accepted responsibility for what was going to happen. But it could not happen here, so close to the village.

He kissed her on the head and spoke into her hair, "Do you trust me?"

"Why? Do you have a plan?"

He winked at her, gathered the bows and pulled her through the forest.

-------------------------

_Damned forest! _ Marian cursed as she struggled to keep pace with her betrothed. He seemed to know each branch that blocked the path, each downed tree, each muddy pool, and gracefully navigated his way over and around each obstacle. She supposed that one could spend a lifetime attempting to learn all of Sherwood's mysteries and hidden treasures and each of the outlaws knew it so well, despite the fact that to her, much of it was simply a maze of green sameness.

She genuinely had no idea where she was as he led her over the trail that had replayed so many times in his mind. At one point, just at the bottom of a small rise he stopped and pulled her into a sweet and loving kiss, a clinging kiss, not like the kisses of raw passion they had shared moments before, but a kiss coloured with the depth of life's events. She felt him rub her right side with his hand before pulling her onward. Finally, he stopped in a deep gully surrounded on all sides by giant boulders.

"Well. Here we are."

"Here?" It did not seem the most private of locations.

"Yes, well not right here, no. Up there." He pointed.

Marian shook her head in genuine confusion. "What is up there?"

Robin had assumed that she knew where they were, but of course she did not remember. It was probably better that she did not. Despite the fact that it had been many months, for Robin the memories were still fresh and raw. He'd been barely able to see through the driving rain as he'd carried her to this place, navigating by instinct and feel in the wee hours of the dawn. He'd walked in terror, cursing himself for scolding her rather than checking to see that she was all right, and cursing her for being too strong and stubborn to tell him anything was wrong.

"Go and see."

He watched her as she climbed the boulder stairs with her usual grace and stopped at the top when she recognized the cave where her life had been spared.

"Why this place?" she asked quietly when she finally felt his presence behind her.

He slid his arms around her from behind and pulled her back to his chest. "This is the place where I first told you I loved you."

"Robin, I may not remember much from that night, but I think I'd remember that."

"No," he tenderly whispered into her ear. "You were gone…somewhere between heaven and earth…and I knelt beside you and I said it again and again, praying that you would hear the words and come back to me."

Marian could feel him clinging to her body as his words hung in the air. She let out a giggle of delight as he slid one arm down behind her knees and swept her off her feet. "But," he grinned and raised his eyebrows at her with devilish charm, "I did [i_not[/i_ bring you here to remember that awful night."

"Oh?" She fought the urge to giggle and attempted to fill her voice with suspicion, though she knew it hadn't worked.

He carried her to the place where the light of the day and the darkness of the cave danced and created a damp, dusky stillness in which they might hide from the world. Before she could see him, she could feel his lips gently caressing hers, and she felt her body slide down his front as he set her feet to the ground. She leaned back into the loving support of his arms, allowing herself to fall as she relished his hand in her hair, the other cradled around her waist. She was certain that there was no ground beneath her, only space into which she would fall deeper and deeper if not for his hands supporting her and his body calling her name.

The kiss began as any other but soon grew to have an unrestrained passion not known between them before. It was not a kiss driven immediately to its most passionate point by two lovers wishing to absorb as much of the other person as possible before the end both knew was coming. Rather it was a kiss un-tethered, the lovers wishing to savor every luscious moment, knowing that it could last as long as they wished.

Robin held her carefully, watching for any sign of hesitation. It did not come. Instead he felt her back arch slightly and her head fall back, exposing the silken skin of her neck. He placed three feather-light kisses on her throat and chest before stopping short of her breasts, impeded by the neckline of her top. Her breasts were heaving with her deep breaths and he was mesmerised as she wet her lips in preparation for another kiss. He gently lowered her spine to the floor, planting another soft kiss on her lips, before pushing himself above her with both his arms so that their bodies did not touch. Marian opened her eyes when she felt the chill of the damp air that had momentarily replaced his warmth. In the dim light she could still see the twinkle of his eyes. The pupils had grown so large that there remained only a small ring of blue around them, but the hunger in them was clear.

"Marian," though the name was spoken softly it seemed to ring in her ears. "Are you sure?"

She untied the bow holding her cape about her body and motioned with her index finger for him to come closer. As their lips joined, he rolled onto his side, taking her with him, and wrapped his leg up over hers. Within moments she was lost in him. The sensation of his entire body pressed against her was utterly overwhelming. She was still savouring the sweetness of his lips and tongue when she felt a deep, aching urge rising from her abdomen and she realised that he had somehow untied her corset without her noticing. Her mind was spinning, she felt dizzy as she held her breath, anticipating the return of his lips to hers.

Robin's fingertips on his right hand carried indentations from the string of his bow, permanent reminders of each target he had hit or missed. When she felt him slide those calloused fingers under the cloth of her top and up the bare skin of her torso, she opened her mouth to breathe and instead whimpered in his ear. And when she felt him firmly take hold of her breast the whimper turned to a moan buried deep in his shoulder.

"So many noises, My Love," he whispered in her ear before nibbling the lobe, "and we haven't even gotten to the good part yet." She found herself breathing heavily as she followed his gaze and he twisted himself above her once again, this time supporting himself with his knees as he straddled her hips. He spoke as he placed a series of soft, wet pecks on her lips. "Do you really trust me?"

Unsure if words would come out of her mouth when she opened it, she simply nodded.

"Good," he moved the kisses to her cheek and whispered, "close your eyes."

She felt a rush of blood coursing through her body as he slid his arm under her back and lifted her torso off of the ground. She raised her arms by instinct as she felt the fabric slide up her sides. It was too much to absorb at once – his lips on her collarbone, the warmth of his breath in the crook of her neck, the affection of his hands as he explored her body. She allowed her back to arch over his arm and her head to fall so that the tips of her hair stroked the ground beneath them. She bit her lip to keep from making sound.

Robin stared at the line of her body as it arched from the tip of her head and disappeared between his legs. If it was possible for her to be more amazing to him, she was. Beautiful did not describe her. She glowed. Despite the darkness, she glowed. He watched her face intently, cherishing her features as they reacted to his touch and he could not help but smile in disbelief. She was _his_. He needed her to know his desires – to know the craving he had felt for so many years. He needed her to know that in his dreams this is what he saw. He saw her figure before him, loving him…wanting him. He wanted her to know how much he regretted leaving her in a country falling apart. He wanted to earn the love she was offering him – the love she had always offered even when he hadn't been willing to accept. It would be beautiful and right, and he would allow her to know with every kiss, every touch, every motion how much he loved her…how thankful he was for her. As he lowered her down once more, he left a trail of kisses down her body until he found himself kissing the part of her that united them with this place. He paused and brushed the scar with his archer's fingers, quietly thanking God that she was with him but then second-guessing that thought in light of what they were doing at the moment.

"Robin?" she said in an wispy, sleepy sounding voice. She did not open her eyes or lean forward, still lost in the sensations that overcame her, "Why did you stop?"

"I do not know what I would do without you," he sighed.

Marian pulled him by the hair up to meet her. She reached between their bodies with both hands and cradled his face, stroking his beard with her thumbs as if to say_'I am here, you are not without me.'_ The space between their bodies grew larger and smaller with their deep breathing as they stared at one another for a moment, allowing their brains to capture what was happening.

"Well, you wouldn't be doing _this_, would you?"

Robin grinned like a fool and it occurred to him that she was learning quickly. They renewed their kisses with even greater passion and vigor, allowing their tongues to push deeper and harder. Marian began tugging on the bottom of his shirts, sliding them up his body, but he grew impatient and quickly removed them himself, tossing them off into the darkness. Desire coursed through his body. He wanted every inch of her. He slid hands down her arms and again raised them above her head, feeling a moment of relief when she did not object. In fact, he was certain that he saw a smile on her lips when she gave in to her arousal. As he allowed his lips to explore her body he stealthily loosened the ties on her trousers, being careful not to disturb her enjoyment.

Marian wondered if this was what it was like to feel genuinely free. "Oh Good God!" She did not realise that she had said it out loud until it was too late. _Was that his tongue?!_ She felt the soft, tantalizing wetness as it moved across her breasts and then down her body. She was spinning. By the time her mind caught up with the fact that Robin had removed her trousers, it was too late. She felt his lips at the other end of her body, moving almost painfully slowly to her thigh. His rough stubble tickled her legs. With her last coherent thought she decided that there could not possibly be a heaven because nothing could be better than the sensations that overcame her. She searched around her for something to grab onto but there was nothing. Finally, she found his hands beside her body and grabbed onto his wrists, pulling them toward her, forcing his shoulders deeper into her thighs and raising her back off the ground. She shrieked, she was certain that she shrieked, and yet she did not hear it. She felt the wave wash over her and when she absolutely could not take anymore she slammed his wrists upon the rocks.

She lay there, stunned, swallowing multiple times in an attempt to find her voice. She finally opened her eyes to find him laying on his side, gazing down at her, _still _grinning like a fool. "Please tell me that was the good part," she laughed.

"Maybe," he said, though his voice seemed suspiciously sure it was not. She was amazed at the grace with which he removed his boots and trousers, discarding them into the darkness and returning to her side within moments. "Maybe not," he added, tapping her nose with his finger as he had when she was young. She put her arms around him as he rolled above her and finally allowed most of his weight to fall upon her. Her breath caught in her lungs and every muscle in her hips and thighs tightened reflexively when she felt him pressing against her.

"Marian," he grazed his lips along her cheek, "breathe." His voice was calm and sweet, but his eyes were filled with passion and desire. She nodded her head yes, though the tenseness of her body gave a different reply. He leaned down and reassured her with a soft kiss. "It's all right," he whispered.

'_Trust him,' _she reminded herself and finally exhaled, relaxing beneath him and allowing herself to enjoy his presence. He gave a more passionate kiss, which she returned, feeling her own desires rising once again. Subconsciously, she began to trace his spine with her fingers. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and held him as tightly as she ever had when she felt him carefully unite his body with hers. He did not move for a moment, gazing down at her and running his fingers through her hair, waiting for a signal that she was fine.

The simplicity of the act astonished her. Marian would have been lying if she'd said she hadn't dreamed of this, but in all the times she imagined what it would feel like to be with him, she never had imagined this…this incredible feeling of…love. She never expected the true understanding of freedom that comes from trusting someone so completely. She cherished the warmth that came over her as discomfort turned to joy and her inhibitions subsided. "I love you," she whispered in his ear before she began kissing his neck and shoulders.

Robin's only reply was a moan, buried in her hair as he moved within her. He felt her relax the muscles in her hips and spread her legs a bit more and noted to himself for the second time that she was going to be good at this very quickly. Thoughts of her raced through his mind as their tempo increased and their bodies moved as one. Would she know now? Could she see? He was no longer Lord Locksley, nor captain of the King's Guard; he was not Robin Hood or the people's hero. He was hers and that was all he had ever really wanted. When he felt her wrap her legs around him, he laid every burden, every regret, every hope for the future inside of her until he fell down upon her and pulled her to him.

They clung to one another in silence with bodies still united and their chests heaving in concert. When Robin's mind finally caught up with his actions moments later, he found himself repeatedly kissing her hair, deeply inhaling her scent, nearly bursting with both pride and affection. "I love you, too," he whispered as he felt her curl up against him. He was feeling a bit boastful for leaving her speechless until he felt her tears on his chest.

He pulled her face up to meet his. "Marian, did…"

She silenced him with a kiss and spoke against his lips. "No. I'm just a bit overwhelmed is all." She felt her invulnerable side cursing the admission, knowing that he would not let it slide.

"Oh…well…cry away then," he said as the foolish grin returned and he once again pulled her to him, receiving a kick in the shins as he did so. He ran his fingertips up and down her spine and stared at the white glow of daylight in the mouth of the cave. "Let's just stay here, hmm? Do you think England would miss us?"

It was then that she truly understood for the first time the burdens he carried. He bore them so well that to most, they did not appear burdens at all. Never once had she heard him complain or deny that he wished to carry them, and she knew that he relished the adoration of the people. But she had been there so many times in his life when burdens became too much. With Robin, she was free to be herself and she had offered her _whole_ self to him that his burden might be lighter.

"We've a throne to save, remember?

He had never wished more that that wasn't the truth.

They rose to dress when the chill of the darkened space finally replaced the warmth of their interactions. Marian giggled to find sticks in her hair. With her boots once more in place, she stepped into the daylight so that she might better adjust her clothing. "Robin? Can you help me?"

"I thought I already did that?"

She would have shoved him if she could see him, but he was simply a voice exiting the darkness. "I meant with my hair!" She cherished his touch once more as he ran his fingers through and removed the evidence. "Thank You."

Robin spun her around for one final, tender kiss. "No…thank you." He swung his arm around her and stepped back into the world. "Come, we have a messenger to find."

At the bottom of the hill, Marian spoke. "Robin, aren't you forgetting something?"

…and he turned and ran, realising that his bow and quiver had been left behind.

--- fin ---


End file.
